Student Summer Torbet wins U13 Female World Champion at the 2025 Open Skiff Worlds in Japan.

Year 7 sailor Summer Torbet brings home gold from Japan

Year 7 ākonga Summer Torbet has returned from Japan with not one, but two world-class results at the 2025 Open Skiff World Championships in Nishinomiya.

Summer was crowned U13 Female World Champion after five days and 15 fiercely contested races. She also secured a bronze medal in the mixed fleet, an outstanding achievement on the international stage.

Consistency was key, with Summer finishing in the top five nine times and claiming two race wins. Her determined training routine, which saw her out on the water most evenings after school, has truly paid off.

Last year, Summer placed 4th Female and 11th overall at her first World Championships in Italy. She came into this year’s competition with a bold goal: to win the Female division and break into the top five mixed fleet. Mission accomplished.

Photo credit: Michelle Torbet